


Doesn't have to be a crisis

by childoffantasy



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Biker!Eskel, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dialogue Heavy, Fade to Black, M/M, Morning After, One Night Stands, Tattooed!Eskel, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:54:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25552375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/childoffantasy/pseuds/childoffantasy
Summary: “Is the one on your thigh actually your first tattoo? I mean it says it is, but you never know.”“Ah, that old thing.” Eskel drew his thigh up so Jaskier could see the text, upside down so it could be readable by someone standing facing him. “Yes and no."After hooking up Jaskier and Eskel have a lazy morning in bed, talking about tattoos.
Relationships: Eskel/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 28
Kudos: 130
Collections: The Modern Witcher AU Collection, The Witcher Flash Fic Challenge #005





	Doesn't have to be a crisis

**Author's Note:**

> For once I don't actually have a million miles of notes? Who even am I? I guess the concept of tattooed queer leather biker Eskel just stands on its own. Um. I have Ideas about Jaskier x Any Witcher Going in this 'verse so when the collection comes off anon I will link my tumblr and you can yell at me about how these boys become regular friends-with-benefits and like maybe it becomes a poly situation or something but that's outside the scope of this fic.
> 
> If anyone thinks the rating really should be bumped up to M let me know, but I never actually mention any genitalia or describe any sex.

Jaskier woke in an unfamiliar bed and stretched leisurely under the rumpled cotton sheets, the better to savour the morning-after aches. Eskel, the guy’s name had been, Jaskier was pretty sure he was also a regular at his favorite queer bar. One of the leather biker types, he had his little crew of guys who parked their motorcycles together and had matching vests. Truth be told, Jaskier wouldn’t kick any of those guys out of bed, but Eskel far and away had the easiest smile, even with the scars cutting across the right side of his face. As a result, when that sweet grin was sent in Jaskier’s direction he was across the bar, drink in hand and a pickup line on his tongue in half a second.

His eyes adjusting to the bar of sunlight falling across his face, Jaskier settled himself more comfortably and looked over to find the other half of the bed empty, covers thrown back. A moment later Jaskier heard the flush of a toilet and running water, which explained both where Eskel had gone and also what had woken him up. When the door to the bedroom opened Jaskier made sure to get an eyeful of Eskel, hoping to see bare skin, broad shoulders, and thick thighs and instead burst into startled laughter at the American-flag-patterned boxer shorts.

“Good morning,” Eskel said, ducking his head but not before Jaskier caught a glimpse of a bashful smile.

“Oh, good morning to you too,” Jaskier replied, lips still twitching in amusement. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to make fun this early.”

“Ah, no worries, I’m afraid I wasn’t expecting company when I went out last night so I’m down to the laundry day boxers.”

Jaskier huffed another small laugh, and sat up finally, allowing the bedcovers to pool around his hips. “Gag gift?”

Eskel nodded. “One of my brothers thinks he’s funny.” Eskel crossed the room to perch on the bed across from Jaskier. “Do you need coffee or breakfast or anything? I didn’t mean to wake you but if you have somewhere to be don’t let me keep you.”

“I’m in no rush to be anywhere, my plans mainly involved a Saturday morning lie-in.” Jaskier punctuated this with a thorough once-over, hoping Eskel might join him in the bed. As his gaze roamed up and down Eskel’s large frame, a handful of scars and tattoos stretched across smooth tan skin caught his attention.

“Mm,” Eskel shifted his weight on the bed to join Jaskier in leaning against the headboard, pillow tucked against his back and looked contemplative. “A lie-in does sound like a good idea.” His tone held just enough teasing to be flirtatious and Jaskier’s hopes of a second round ratcheted up a few notches.

Doing his best to lounge alluringly, Jaskier twitched the bedsheet subtly to expose part of his thigh and sent a sly look in Eskel’s direction. For his part Eskel looked amused but held up an arm in invitation which Jaskier immediately took advantage of. He shuffled over to curl up against Eskel’s side, rested his head on a well-built chest and snaked an arm around a charmingly soft waist while Eskel’s arm settled comfortably across his shoulders. It wasn’t exactly morning sex, but Jaskier was not at all going to turn down a nice cuddle from a handsome man. He sighed happily and snuggled in, debating going back to sleep after all.

They didn’t quite doze there, but some time passed them by unremarked except for the shift of the sunbeam off Jaskier’s face and onto the wall. Absentmindedly, Jaskier found himself tracing the lines of a stylized set of initials inside a sun tattooed over Eskel’s heart. When he realized what he was doing, Jaskier didn’t exactly freeze, but the rhythm stuttered enough to catch Eskel’s attention.

“You can ask if you like,” Eskel murmured and Jaskier shivered a little at the rumble of his voice through his chest. When Jaskier cocked his head in an “I’m listening” sort of way Eskel continued. “I had a daughter. Foster daughter. Planned to adopt. The system decided not to let me keep her in the end, you know how it can be.”

“But you don’t just forget about that, huh.” Eskel nodded. Jaskier moved his hand to squeeze at Eskel’s fingers where they had come up to press on the D inscribed on the skin.

A second later Eskel shook himself out of his reverie. “I promise the rest are less grim than that one, though, I didn’t mean to kill the mood.”

“You’re fine, hon,” Jaskier flashed a quick smile up at Eskel in reassurance, then reached across to the vigorous strokes of red and black that formed the base of a half-sleeve on Eskel’s right forearm. “Does this one have a story?”

“Most of them do, even if the story is just when I decided I liked the image. That one I got after I crashed pretty nastily, got these.” He freed his hand to gesture at the scars on his face. “There’s a scar or three under there from where they had to set the broken bones, but mostly it’s an ‘I lived, bitch’ tattoo.”

“I’m in favour,” Jaskier said, cheerfully.

“You just never stop flirting, do you?” Eskel asked, gently teasing.

“Not particularly, no,” agreed Jaskier. Then, “Did you have a tattoo on this arm that I saw?” He shrugged a shoulder to jostle the arm Eskel had wrapped around him.

“Mm-hm.” Eskel lifted his arm off Jaskier to show the tattoo, a snarling wolf with golden eyes, before replacing the arm at some pointed wiggling and pouting on Jaskier’s part. “The rest of the wolves and I all have matching ones.”

“Wolves? Is that what you boys call yourselves?”

“Oh, yeah, our mentor started it back before I ever knew him, but most of us who he took in over the years have the tattoo to match and call ourselves wolves.”

“Mm, Wolf Pack Motorcycle Club, I like that.”

“Something like that,” Eskel shifted a little to get more comfortable, pulling Jaskier back into place with the arm wound around him when he offered to pull away. “I’ve known most of those guys since one or both of us were stupid teenagers, they’re a pretty good group. Even if Lambert does get his ass kicked out of the bar every couple months.”

“You know what, I think I’ve seen that happen at least once,” Jaskier laughed at Eskel’s long-suffering sigh.

“I think about all the regulars have by now, at least he usually restrains himself to decking creeps and skinheads.”

“Good for him, really.” Jaskier stretched an arm up in front of himself. “The only tattoos I’ve got are these ones here.” He twisted his arm to display a small collection of yellow flowers on the pale skin of his wrist.

“Do they have a story?”

“Only barely. I got them in college mostly as a rebellion against my asshole father sometime before he finally decided he couldn’t actually control me. And I thought wildflowers were pretty. Beauty in small things, you know.” Jaskier shrugged.

“There sure is,” Eskel said, smirking down at Jaskier.

Jaskier swatted at Eskel’s chest gently. “Aiming to take over the flirting here, is that it?” He then gave Eskel a slightly stronger nudge, “Even if your idea of small is skewed by hanging out with your giant wolves.”

Eskel grabbed at the hand Jaskier used to shove him and they devolved into some good-natured tussling which rapidly grew heated.

Some time later, Jaskier was once again curled into Eskel’s chest, the sheets kicked to the end of the bed. “Oh,” said Jaskier, “One more tattoo question.”

“Hm?”

“Is the one on your thigh actually your first tattoo? I mean it says it is, but you never know.”

“Ah, that old thing.” Eskel drew his thigh up so Jaskier could see the text, upside down from where they lay, but readable by someone standing facing him. “Yes and no. Geralt, one of the other wolves, decided to try his hand at stick-and-pokes when we were teenagers. I’m probably lucky I didn’t get a bitch of an infection, in retrospect, even with Geralt being fairly careful about cleaning the needle he used.” Jaskier hummed in slightly alarmed agreement. “So yes, the text is the first one I ever got, but I got it touched up to be actually readable a few years back cause one of my friends needed to practice for her tattoo apprenticeship.”

“Why’d you decide to get one that just says ‘This is my first tattoo’?”

“Mostly because I was fairly pragmatic for a rebellious, semi-closeted, teenage punk. I figured if I tried to get the perfect thing for my first tattoo I’d make myself crazy, so I went with factual so I couldn’t place too much importance on it and then my first would be over and done with.”

“Very smart,” Jaskier interrupted himself with a yawn. “Ooh, might be time for coffee if that offer is still open.”

Eskel stretched carefully, trying not to dislodge Jaskier, who sat up anyway and ran his fingers through his hair to bring it into some kind of order.

“After coffee remind me to give you my number, we can do this again some time if you like.”

“I have more tattoos, after all.”

“I see, you only want me because I’m a good listener. Yes we can also talk tattoos again sometime if you would like, you goof.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me! I'm [childoffantasy](https://childoffantasy.tumblr.com) on tumblr


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